First Impressions
by LostInTheThicket
Summary: Along the Japanese countryside, Sakura Kasugano, a young woman in search of powerful fighters, meets a strange and charismatic new fighter. After sharing a moment in peace, the two kindred souls begin a new bond through the love of the fight.
1. First Impressions

_**Disclaimer: Street Fighter, along with Sakura Kasugano, belongs to Capcom. I don't own that character. I do own Mickey, however.**_

* * *

 _ **Wanted to have a different, more charismatic world warrior in Street Fighter. One with interesting origins. Hope y'all enjoy. Thank you for reading. As always, be excellent to each other. Later days. :) P.S.: Also for any Spanish readers, if there's something wrong with Mickey's final phrase, lemme know.**_

* * *

 _ **Thank you for 200 views. I thank each and every last one of ya. :) - L.I.T.T.**_

* * *

The calm, soothing blue hue of the sky is broken by clouds. The cool breeze meets the rolling hills of verdant green grass. It's a lovely day in the Japanese countryside.

It's a day for many moments to be made, including moments for one to relax and to take a nice nap.

A young man relaxes on one of the hills as a straw hat covers his face. He is dressed in comfortable summer wear. Comfy shorts, an amusing Hawaiian shirt, and – for some odd reason – crocs paint the man out to be a charming figure.

The atmosphere's serene and relaxing, his day of solitude relatively uneventful. Until…

Footsteps.

The man hears footsteps nearby, but he never moves a muscle. It lasts for a couple seconds until the footsteps stop. The young man finally speaks up, his voice muffled under the hat.

"Lovely day for a nap, isn't it?"

The figure suddenly steps closer. The man hears the voice of a young, eager woman.

"It's not bad, actually. I love days like this. Don't you?"

The man chuckles. "Don't we all, my friend? Ugh, I'm beat."

The young woman giggles softly. "Well, I suppose if you're tired, I might be a little bit late for a _tiny_ request."

The man turns to the young woman, his hat still covering his face. "Depends on the request. And no, I will not fight you if that's what you're thinking."

"Darn it!" The woman giggles. "At least I tried, huh?"

The young man takes the hat off his face as he lets out a long yawn. Opening his eyes, he sees the young woman for the first time.

The short-haired brunette is dressed in an interesting outfit - a frilly pleated skirt, a funky tie, and a fashionable vest/shirt pairing with a long headband. He spots her matching gloves with _very_ familiar writing. The young woman smiles as the man sits up straight.

"Wait…I know you," the man says, recognizing her. "Yeaaaah..."

Surprised, the woman blushes. "Really?"

She heard stories of this new Street Fighter before. Known to be charismatic and a bit weird, her friends from around the world spoke about him, commenting on how he was highly skilled for someone with a...'unique' fighting style.

The man rubs some grass off his tan skin, his lightly tousled brown hair swaying in the wind with a smile on his face. He looks a bit older than the young woman, but his odd blue eyes carry a ton of wisdom for someone his age.

"You're that eager fighter Ryu sometimes talks about," the man explains. "Um, I forgot your name, though. Sorry 'bout that. I'm Michaël, but Mickey's more than fine."

The young woman looks shocked by his words, humbled by her mentor favourably mentioning her.

"Don't worry, it's okay," the woman says with a smile. "I'm Sakura."

 **Michaël 'Mickey' Villanueva** takes a moment to stretch as **Sakura Kasugano** curiously tilts her head.

"Got an interesting name. What's your story?" Sakura asks Mickey.

"I'm German and Spanish. Mexican, though. On my Ma's side. As you can tell, I ain't from around here," Mickey answers, admiring the view of the hills.

Sakura does a bit of a sassy stance, holding her hands on her hips. "Hehehe, obviously. I bet the trip here lasted a while, huh?"

Mickey shrugs his shoulders with a knowing smirk. "Something like that. I'm more of a...traveller searching for something. I might look broke, but I ain't broke." Sakura laughs as he notices her gloves once more. "Interesting writing on those gloves."

Ever-eager to talk about Ryu, Sakura takes notice, showing one of her gloves. "You think so, huh? Ryu's just the coolest. He's such a good fighter!"

"Don't I know it..."

"Wait, you do?" Sakura sits down, putting her small bag on the grass.

"Yeah, fought the guy. He beat me and it was kinda close, I guess." Mickey rubs his head while he smiles. "He's a weird guy."

"Weird, huh?" Amused by Mickey's lack of self-awareness, Sakura smirks, shaking her head. "How?"

"It's like…every time we exchanged blows, he brought out a side of me I never knew I had. It was frightening but exciting."

Sakura smiles as the two fighters share a bit of quiet time. "I've always wanted to be his disciple. I still do. I can be someone more than just a young university student, y'know?"

Mickey stands up, brushing off bits of grass from his shorts. "Fighting is your life, huh?"

Sakura nods. "Yeah."

"Why?"

Sakura looks at Mickey with a confused look. "Why do I fight?"

Mickey nods as she stands up, taking the time for Sakura to follow suit. She does so, facing her new acquaintance.

"I fight because I want to push myself. In mind, body, and spirit." Sakura says, focusing on her one of her gloves. Her hand balls up into a fist. "I want to fight because I want to protect Ryu and those that matter to me. I want to prove myself to them. I wanna be the best."

Sakura looks up to see Mickey collect his hat, putting it on.

"Huh." He chuckles before staring intently into Sakura's eyes. "Well, if that's the case…"

Suddenly, Mickey closes his eyes as he hums a melodic tune.

Sakura steps back in surprise as the wind around the fighters intensifies. The grass shifts wildly as light blue wisps of energy envelop Mickey's body. Ending the power-inducing tune, he opens his eyes, releasing his energy. A massive pulse rips through the hills as Sakura takes a step back.

Mickey steps back and motions Sakura over as his eyes glow. His hands are glowing with sound-based energy.

" _Probarte_ _a ti_ _mismo_ , Sakura Kasugano."

He shifts into his fighting stance. Sakura's eyes widen with glee as she prepares herself. The two new friends smile at each other as they begin to fight.

 _ **The End... Or is it?**_


	2. Trip to Tokyo

_**Disclaimer: Street Fighter, along with Sakura Kasugano, belongs to Capcom. I don't own that character. I do own Mickey, however.**_

* * *

 _ **Remember when I said this was going to be a one-shot? Well... I LIED! I wanted to give this some love so expect this to be a rather short story. Enjoy, my lovelies.**_

* * *

 _ **Last time, Sakura met with the mysterious Mickey Villanueva, a new fighter making waves around the world. Bonding over the love of the fight and Sakura's desire to protect others, the two become new friends as they prepare for a friendly fight. Who came out on top? Well...**_

* * *

"SHOUOKEN!"

It's been ten minutes since Mickey and Sakura met for the first time.

In the open fields of the Japanese countryside, the new friends battled vigorously. Exchanging strike for strike, Mickey's fighting style – using capoeira, kickboxing, and some pro wrestling techniques – proved to be the perfect foil for Sakura's Shotokan style of martial arts.

And they did it all with smiles on their faces, enjoying each other's company.

Well, that would have been the case until Sakura drilled him with her classic Shouoken uppercut, knocking him into the air.

* * *

"Ugh! That hurt!" Mickey cries. Tumbling over the grass, he falls face-first into the fields.

Sakura grins and does her signature dance, swaying from side to side. "Haha, I won! That was close! Thank you—" Sakura suddenly hears Mickey's mumbled groaning. "Whoa, are you okay?"

"Mmm, I'm jus' peachy," moans Mickey.

Sakura runs over to take care of him, brushing some grass and dirt off of his Hawaiian shirt. The two fighters look into each other's eyes as Mickey shakes his head.

"I told you I'm stronger than I look," Sakura says with a teasing smirk.

Speechless, Mickey nods and pats her head to her slight discontent. "Yeah, yeah. Stop frontin' like you got one over on me. Besides, I had a nap."

Stunned and in disbelief Mickey was salty, Sakura gasps. "A nap?!"

"Yeah!"

"Now you're just making excuses!"

"No, _meine Bekannte_ , I'm not. Excuses are for lazy people."

" _Lazy?!_ " Sakura nudges Mickey with a laugh. "Shut up!"

Mickey turns around with a mischievous stare. "Oh, no, you don't!"

Seeing Mickey ready to chase her down, Sakura laughs as she runs. They run for what seems like half an hour before catching their breaths.

"I… Whew… I'm gonna get… Oh, crap," Mickey says wearily, "I'm gonna get you back for…all of that."

A seasoned track and field veteran, Sakura is as peppy as ever as she stretches. "I don't know about that," she chirps. "You seem tired already."

Mickey stares her down while she giggles. Suddenly, Sakura gets an idea.

"You know what? I'll make it up to you by taking you to dinner," she says. "I know this great yakiniku restaurant in Tokyo where they make the _best_ white rice!"

Mickey finally catches his breath and rubs his head, slightly confused. "Yakiniku? What's that?"

Sakura dons a look of recognition on her face, remembering his words from before. "Oh, right! I forgot you're not from around here. Umm, it means 'grilled meat'. It's pretty good…"

Suddenly, Sakura hears a low but loud grumble from Mickey's stomach. She snorts a bit while she laughs as Mickey sports a sheepish grin on his face.

"In case you couldn't tell, I'm, like, mad hungry," Mickey mutters with a laugh.

"Well, I guess we shouldn't stand around here for too long!" Sakura takes Mickey by the arm and drags him along. "Let's go! Before your hunger consumes us all!"

"Yeah, okay," Mickey says mockingly towards Sakura while she giggles.

The two friends talk and walk through the countryside until they arrive near an express train leading to Tokyo. Boarding the train, they sit side by side as they play Rock, Paper, Scissors for most of the ride back.

Surprisingly, Mickey won most of the time.

Sakura takes a bit of a nap as Mickey turns to his new friend. Smiling, he thinks about what he came here to do. The path ahead of him is long and winding with many dead ends along the way. However, for the first time in a while, he smiles, realizing there's someone he could relax and talk about life's struggles with.

A warm smile curls across Mickey's lips as he sees Sakura having a pleasant nap.

"You know, _amiga,_ you hit like a truck. But you know what?" He whispers before massaging his jaw. "You're like the little sister I've always wanted."

He smiles before staring out of the train's window. Unbeknownst to him, Sakura opens her eyes and smiles wide, taking Mickey's kind words to heart before falling back to sleep.

* * *

The train stops as Mickey and Sakura arrive in Tokyo. Interestingly enough, the two friends keep up appearances as they navigate their way through Tokyo's streets. Hundreds of people in business attire gawk at Mickey's interesting wardrobe as he smiles and waves.

The day winds down as the sun begins to set. By nightfall, the streets of Tokyo become immersed in a sea of lights and laughter. Sakura and Mickey make their way to the Kasugano Residence, Sakura's home.

"I'll be right back," Sakura says. "I just need to change clothes and we'll be on our way."

She heads into her home.

"Alright, but we're not buyin' any beer... _or_ sake!" Mickey says as he stands just outside of Sakura's residence.

From the corner of his eye, he spots a group of young men that have been following him and Sakura quite a bit. Sensing their hostility, Mickey turns and smiles wide before the group walks away. Relishing the small victory, Mickey chuckles before Sakura returns.

She steps out of the residence wearing a red-and-beige hoodie with black jeans and stylish sneakers. Mickey spots Sakura's shoes and compliments her with a thumbs-up. Sakura smiles and shrugs.

"C'mon, our grilled meat adventure awaits!" Sakura smiles, leading Mickey into the busy Tokyo streets and its vibrant nightlife.

* * *

 _ **Hope you guys aren't hungry, because food and fun await our friends next time on First Impressions!**_

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ Don't expect a lot from this story. Maybe one or two more chapters and that's it. But enjoy their friendship bloom and of course...

Later days. - Thicket


	3. Mickey & Sakura's Meat-zzare Adventure

_**Disclaimer: Sakura Kasugano belongs to Capcom. Mickey V. belongs to me.**_

* * *

 _ **Last time on First Impressions, Mickey & Sakura finishes their first fight as Sakura came out victorious. After the fight and some light ribbing, the two decided to grab a train to Tokyo. On the train, a bond quickly formed as they made their way to Sakura's residence. When we left our heroes, they were on their way to a grilled meat adventure! Let's reconnect...**_

* * *

"We're close!"

Sakura takes Mickey by the arm as they make their way throughout downtown Tokyo. Lights from stores all around Mickey paint a dizzying array of neon, taking him by surprise. Sounds of conversation and laughter dance in and out of his ears.

Compared to the Japanese countryside, the visual and aural whiplash was less than pleasant. In Mickey's mind, however, Sakura's promises of grilled meat dominated all negative thoughts. Plus, the added promise of rice filled his half-Mexican heart.

"Are we there yet?" Mickey groans, the sound of his tummy's rumbling filling his thoughts.

Sakura smiles, finally stopping near a building. "Well…Yup! Now we are!"

Mickey and Sakura stop in front of an unremarkable building. It's somewhat drab compared to the other, more appealing buildings around them.

Mickey smirks. "¡Ay! Thought it looked…"

He does, however, detect an engaging sound coming from within the building. It's a faint sound, but to him, there's no mistake about it. It reminds him of relaxing with his mother's family in Monterrey with his father's parents.

The sounds…of sizzling meat.

"Yeah, we're here. Come on!" Mickey shouts before making the charge inside of the building.

"But…Mickey-san, you don't even know where it is!" Sakura utters with a weak smile, staring at others staring back at them.

"My hearing's never wrong, Sakura!" Mickey climbs up the stairs before Sakura follows him.

* * *

They make their way to the second floor where they stop in front of a winding staircase. Next to it is a wall with the restaurant's logo attached to it. Some beautiful cherry blossom potted plants greet the two fighters nearby.

Mickey grins to the potted plants as Sakura makes his way up to see him, pointing to them. "Hey, look. Sakura, meet Sakura."

Sakura gives him a dirty but hilarious look. "Just for that, we're going back!" She starts to make her way down.

"No, no, no. Sorry, _meine Freundin_. Couldn't resist."

With a smirk and a pout, Sakura shrugs her arms. "Okaaaay. I guess I accept."

They nudge shoulders before they smile, spotting the logo.

"So, what does that say?" Mickey says, nodding his head towards it.

"Oh. It's _Setsuna Yakiniku Bar & Grill," _Sakura replies enthusiastically. "It's one of my favourite restaurants!"

"Setsuna..."

"It means a moment or an instant. Like the moment we get some of that _delicious_ rice, we'll be instantly happy!"

"Well, what are we waitin' for?" Mickey beams, taking off his straw hat.

Sakura shrugs. The two make their way up the staircase before they are immediately greeted by two things: the chefs in the open kitchen…and the smell.

Mickey takes a big whiff, unaware of the patrons looking at him with weird stares. To him, it smells like if Heaven opened its doors and he was dragged in by the promise of some of that good meat...times five.

A tinge of bright red suddenly envelops his pupils before they fade to blue. "Wait your turn," Mickey whispers to himself.

Sakura whips around with a curious look. "Who are you talking to?"

"Hmm? Oh, no one important. Don't worry!" Mickey replies hesitantly with a toothy grin.

To Sakura, Mickey's slightly anxious personality is a bit weird but unimportant compared to food. "Oh, okay…" She calls for a waiter in Japanese. "Umm, table for two, please?"

Before being guided to the table, Mickey relaxes and surveys the restaurant while Sakura orders from the menu.

The atmosphere is casual and warm with a bit of a luxurious spin on it. The décor is swanky and stylish, the grill provides the two with some warmth, and jazz music dances through the ears of the patrons of the restaurant. Mickey moves his head to the music as Sakura smiles.

"I knew you'd like it," Sakura says with a gleeful smile. "That's why your 'little sister' brought you here!"

Suddenly, Mickey jolts and sits straight up. Sakura giggles with an impish pose over the table. " _Mein Gott_ …You heard all of that?" Mickey stammers.

"Uh-huh!"

"Uh, well, I—"

"Don't worry, Mickey-san. People normally think I'm, like, Ryu-san's little sister."

"But you and I seem to have a _lot_ more in common. Video games, becoming stronger, rice, grilled meat. I wanna stress the 'rice' part."

Sakura laughs. "But I only met you a few hours ago!"

"And yet, you invited me to a restaurant! Did you do that for Ryu?"

"No, of course not…"

Mickey dons a prideful smirk, savouring another victory…until Sakura continues.

"I cooked for him at one point."

Mickey slouches at his side of the table, looking utterly defeated. Sakura sticks her tongue out and laughs. "Heh, don't worry. I'll cook for you too, 'big bro'. Eventually."

Mickey places a hand over his heart. "Aw, _would_ you now? I'm touched," he teases.

"Shut up!"

They share a genuine laugh as Mickey calls for a waiter. It's the same waiter: a young woman with a pleasant – and slightly amused – smile on her face. "Yes?"

"Um, could we get brown sugar plum wine, please?" The waiter nods as Mickey nods back. " _Arigatou gozaimasu_."

The waiter looks pleased with Mickey's respectful tone and seemingly fluent pronunciation. She punctually takes care of the two fighters.

Sakura gasps, completely surprised at Mickey's Japanese. "Really, Mickey-san?"

"Don't ooh and ahh yet, meine Freundin. I only know a lil' bit!"

"No, no. ...I thought we weren't buying beer or sake. I'm old enough now for those things too, you know!"

"Oh, I had an idea. That's why we got _wine_ instead. We're startin' off slow-ish. Don't wanna get ya too drunk! Bet ya Ryu ain't as clever as me now, huh?"

Sakura grins while Mickey laughs. Suddenly, the food and beverages make their way to them. First, thick, sliced beef tongue is presented in front of them along with some sticky rice.

"Ohhh, my…" Mickey salivates at the marble of the meat.

Sakura giggles. "But that's not the best part. Watch!"

She takes two slices and puts them on the counter. In two minutes, she expertly cooks the meat in front of Mickey's eyes. The sizzling and the smells put Mickey in a trance-like state. She puts the slices on a plate with some lemon juice drizzled over it. His eyes flash red before they turn to blue.

"Done. Ready?" Sakura smiles, snapping Mickey out of it.

"Hm? Yeah, yeah!" Mickey utters, taking his chopsticks. If it wasn't for his old friend Hush Puppy, his attire wouldn't be the only embarrasing thing about him.

Despite this, they each take a slice and place it over their rice to their surprise.

"Freaky…" Sakura whispers.

"Get out of my head!" Mickey shouts softly in a teasing manner.

Sakura giggles as they quietly salute, starting their grilled meat adventure.

As Mickey takes a bite, his eyes widen. The tongue's tender and silky smooth. Although he will _never_ be the type to diss his mother's lengua tacos, the rich flavour beef tongue eclipses it in taste. It was delicious. "Mmmmm…So good," he mumbles with his eyes closed.

"I know," Sakura says, "It's aromatic and tender. And with the rice, it tastes so good!"

Suddenly, a deeper voice emerges from Mickey as his eyes glow red. "Oh, I hear that!"

His hair eerily turns dark-red with a black stripe as a new side of Mickey introduces himself. Sakura jumps a bit in shock. "What's good? You must be Sakura, right. Pleasure's mine, I'm sure. Soundclash."

"Ohhh!" Sakura stammers, blushing from the sheer and sudden shock. "…Well, hi…"

"I ain't gonna hurt ya. You promised him grilled meat. That's somethin' I like, too! And anyone that sticks up for yours truly deserves my respect!"

 **Soundclash** , Mickey's apparent alter-ego, offers a fist-bump as Sakura slowly, and begrudgingly, accepts. The weird-talking entity looks at Mickey's shirt with a look of disgust. "A Hawaiian shirt in Japan. How touristy can ya get, am I right?"

Sakura nervously smiles as Soundclash takes some beef tongue and outside skirt steak. Cooking it quickly, he gives a few pieces to Sakura and takes the rest. Dipping it in a sauce with diced vegetables, the steak tastes sinfully delectable.

"So, I bet he didn't tell ya 'bout me…"

Sakura shakes her head.

"Well, I'm kinda like the...'devil on his shoulder'," Soundclash mumbles with his mouth full. "An enemy with benefits!" He scoffs and shrugs. "In case ol' Mickey Mouse gets' angry, driven with emotions, or just hangry, I'm here to take the load off him! Damn! This is good!"

Many patrons, including Sakura, are stunned at Soundclash's speed and dexterity as he devours his cooked pieces. Gradually, Mickey makes his presence known as one of his eyes turn blue.

"You're embarrassing me, you know that…"

" _You're_ the one that kept me outta this…"

Back and forth, Mickey and Soundclash have a conversation as Sakura, somewhat scared, clears her throat. "So, Mickey-san or…S-Soundclash, do you have a sister?"

Silence.

Soundclash frowns, wiping sauce and bits of meat from his mouth. "Hm. Well, guess I had my fill. I'll let the other dude hang out wit' ya. But we'll talk again real soon. I promise. ...See ya."

Mickey emerges once more, his hair back to normal. His eyes fade to blue as he stares down at the table. Minutes pass and Mickey takes a long, hard look at Sakura. "I'm sorry..."

Despite being slightly creeped out, a gentle and respectful smile curls across Sakura's lips. "No sweat. So...did you...?"

Mickey is silent, clutching his fists. The thoughts of his mission filled his mind so much, he shakes his head, failing to recall the last time someone wanted to know about...her. He lowers his head.

"Goodness. Mickey?" Sakura utters, taking her friend's hand. "Are…are you okay?"

Mickey shakes his head before he quietly starts to cry, recalling some painful memories.

"She was stillborn. She didn't make it…My…my mama was…My sister's name was gonna be R.J., Sakura. Raquel Jeanette Villanueva. _Mein Gott,_ I couldn't even...h-hold my little sister. I was gonna ha…"

Sakura gasps, shocked and stunned by the revelation. She quickly whips around the table and hugs Mickey. He stops and stares at her before he hugs her back.

"It's okay, Mickey-san," Sakura whispers. "...I'm not the best at this, but..." She pats Mickey's hand. "As long as you can fight for others, she'll always be a part of you." Wiping his tears, she beams. "And as long as you're here, you can call on me anytime you want."

Mickey's eyes open wide in genuine shock as he coughs. Sakura rubs his back before Mickey whispers in her ear. "Heh, th-thanks, Sakura. …I'm positive R.J. would've liked you too."

"Mickey?"

"Yeah?"

"…I got your back."

Sakura offers a fist-bump. Mickey nods with a smile and fist-bumps her back. Throughout the rest of the dinner, Mickey and Sakura sit side by side, enjoying the course in peace.

From ribeye to kalbi to wagyu beef to flap steak, they enjoy a sizzling array of succulent meats. Plenty of rice, seafood, and vegetables accompany their meat smorgasbord. They smile, joke, and talk about their fights in this world. Occasionally sipping some wine, Mickey tries his best not to let Sakura get drunk.

Sakura obliges. It tastes sweet and rich and the temptation creeps in her mind, but she obliges nevertheless.

After the meats, they sample on some cold noodles and dessert: a pear-flavoured popsicle made solely out of ice. Chewy, sweet, and very soft, it's the best dessert Mickey tasted in his life.

After the food and tender moments, Mickey pays for the entire meal to Sakura's surprise. "Mickey-san! How did-"

"You can thank the wallet of a 'mouthy old boxer' for this meal. Don't worry about it, sis…Ooh!"

He covers his mouth but Sakura smiles. "It's okay. Maybe one day, I might even call you 'bro', just to get even."

Mickey smiles wide with his toothy grin. "Heh. You got it…"

* * *

Mickey and Sakura walk side by side as they make their way out into the Tokyo nightlife. Suddenly, as they arrive near Sakura's home, they're stopped by an unknown voice…

"Hey, _dumbass_!" A voice said in Japanese. "We don't want you here. Leave the girl alone and get out!"

Mickey and Sakura turn around to see the same group of young men following them from the train. This time, however…

They're armed with baseball bats and chains.

* * *

 _ **Find out what happens next time on the last chapter of First Impressions!**_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** I lost some sleep because I was salivating over yakiniku vids on YouTube. So, I hope this makes you hungry for some meat. Because like Chie always says... "You gotta eat more meat!" Well, I'm out. Be excellent, Stay Golden, and of course...

Later days. - Thicket


	4. A Bond Between Worlds

_**Disclaimer: Sakura Kasugano belongs to Capcom. Mickey V. belongs to me.**_

* * *

 _ **Last time on First Impressions, Mickey and Sakura's grilled meat adventure kicked off with a surprising reveal. Soundclash, Mickey's chaotic alter-ego, introduced himself to Sakura. Upon learning of his ill-fated younger sister, Sakura consoles Mickey during a nervous breakdown. Now understanding one another, the two kindred souls enjoy the rest of the meal. Last time we met them, they were face-to-face with an aggressive group of individuals...**_

 _ **And now... Our inevitable conclusion...**_

* * *

Mickey and Sakura quietly scan the group of individuals in front of them. Quite young, they all have piercing eyes and uninviting sneers on their faces. Though unremarkable in their physical appearance, the men are all dressed in white leather jackets. They also wear an odd, pyramidal necklace around their necks.

There's eight of them, all armed with crude weaponry. Their hands are wound tightly around baseball bats and bike chains. Some of the men even show the glint of small knives, hidden on their person. Sakura tries to divert the scene away from her home as she leans in close to Mickey.

"Bōsōzoku? The Rising Tide? …That's strange," Sakura whispers.

Never breaking eye contact with the one who spoke to him, Mickey smirks. "Don't know what that means, but judging from those jackets, I assume the 'Rising Tide' are bikers or gangsters. What's strange about 'em?"

"Both. ...Bōsōzoku are quite uncommon around here, _especially_ the Rising Tide. Like, _really_ uncommon."

"Really?" Mickey scans the scene as the members inch closer to them. "Huh. You think something weird is goin' on?"

"These guys probably didn't come here just to cause a scene. …They said they want you gone, but I don't know why."

The gang moves closer as Mickey and Sakura slowly shift into their fighting stances. Mickey nods and smiles. "Well, let's show them that we're here to stay. You ready?"

"I'm a bit full, but these guys are pretty okay for a warmup! I'll set the trap," Sakura whispers as she nods with a wink. She makes her way over to the gang.

A stunned Mickey sees Sakura arguing loudly with the gang, yelling in a string of fast, dissonant Japanese. The man, wearing a funny little pompadour, scoffs and pushes Sakura into Mickey as the latter helps her.

A flash of red dances in Mickey's eyes before it quickly disappears.

"Soundclash, chill. I got this," he whispers before yelling to the man. "Well, amigos, we tried to be nice!" He steps forth, cracking his knuckles.

As the man with the pompadour swings his baseball bat in Mickey's direction, Sakura whips around and does a spinning wheel kick, shattering the weapon. The man takes a step back with the gang as Sakura smiles. The gang, sensing that the time for talk is over, decides to charge the fighters.

She hops up and down in excitement before settling into her stance once more, turning to Mickey. Mickey smiles at Sakura. Without exchanging words, the two nod before they engage.

Two of the gang members crowd Sakura as she expertly dodges chains, bats, and punches. Using their momentum to her advantage, she takes the first gangster's arm and twirls him around like blades on a windmill. The other gangster isn't as lucky as he gets treated to a high-low combo of leg kicks and back elbows from the young fighter. Wobbling back, a launching kick to the jaw knocks out the unlucky gangster.

Mickey deals with three more, including the man with the pompadour. One gangster tries to use a knife to attack him, but Mickey uses his momentum to smack the knife out with a knee to the face.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt!" Mickey shouts, listening to the attacker's pained groans. "DDT!"

After grabbing him in a headlock and using the others as stepping stones, he plants the gangster's face into the asphalt with a Tornado DDT.

"Woo! Whoa!" Mickey exclaims before leaping up to his feet.

Mickey sees the pompadour-wearing gangster grin, approaching Mickey with a wild left hook to the cheek. However, Mickey avoids it just in time to catch his assailant with an upward elbow/thrust kick combination.

"Up and at 'em, Sakura!" Mickey shouts as Sakura leaps into the air and catches the gangster with a twisting Hurricanrana. " _Nice_ moves!"

"Hey, what can I say? I'm a fast learner," Sakura replies with a wink, using one of Mickey's pro-wrestling moves during their fight at the countryside. She quickly dispatches Mickey's third attacker with a Shunpukyaku, toppling him to the ground with whirling kicks.

Mickey and Sakura pose as Sakura performs a kiai, sending the last two gangsters running like cowards. The pompadour-wearing gangster stumbles and tries to attack Sakura as revenge, but Mickey cuts in.

"Hold this for me," he whispers before vocalizing, sending a mysterious blue-and-white ball of energy into the gangster's chest, hurling him away.

"We did it!" Sakura shouts before hugging Mickey. "We make a good team, Mickey-san!"

"Yeah." Mickey hugs her back. "...I guess we do," He laughs, stretching his limbs.

Mickey now sees a group of people cheering the two fighters nearby, grateful towards running the Rising Tide out of their Tokyo prefecture. Mickey bows and waves with his toothy grin before escorting Sakura into her home.

* * *

The stars are shining brightly as peace and quiet once again fill the streets.

"Well, what a day. That was an experience," Mickey yawns.

"I know, but it was fun," Sakura whispers back. "This is probably one of the best days I've had this year."

Mickey nods and chuckles. "Food, fighting and fun. What's not to love?"

In front of her residence, the two smile as Sakura suddenly hugs Mickey. "Mickey-san? ...If you feel sad or alone, remember this night, okay? It's okay to struggle, but that's life. Get back up. Always. And remember that people care about you, no matter where you are in your life."

Mickey's eyes open wide.

 _Silence_.

"Mickey-san?"

He sheds a few tears as he hugs back, touched by his friend's words. "And if you ever feel like you're not strong enough, Sakura, stay true to you. You're a strong woman, a strong fighter, and an even stronger person. Ryu should be proud for inspiring someone like you. I know I would."

Sakura smiles before she hears something that touches her to the core.

"And I'm happy now, meine Freundin. Happier that someone like you is a part of my life, Sakura Kasugano," Mickey whispers before their tender moment ends. Sakura sheds some tears before Mickey wipes them away.

"I just put on...makeup today. Jeez!" Sakura chuckles.

"Oh, come on! Hey! I'll still be here! We'll meet again real soon, 'kay?"

Sakura smiles while she nods, sniffling a little bit. "Heh, 'kay. Good night. And keep in touch."

Mickey nods. "You got it. Good night."

Before he leaves, Sakura stops the young man as she makes her way inside her residence. "And hey, Mickey-san? Don't be a stranger, 'big bro'."

A real hearty laugh bellows from Mickey's soul. It's a laugh that warms Sakura's heart. "Be seein' you, 'sis'," he grins with a wink.

As Mickey leaves, Sakura suddenly catches a small tattoo peeking under the back of his neck. It's a portion of what seems like a large bird raising its wings in a large circle.

"Heh," Sakura mutters to herself, "Cool." She smiles before entering her home.

In the quiet, tranquil Tokyo streets, Mickey thinks about his new friend Sakura and the impact she's had on him over a short time. Nodding to himself with a slight smile, he expertly ducks into a dark alley before turning on his phone.

On his phone, he sorts through pictures of his life: pictures of his friends, family, and one with a small group of fellow superheroes…with special uniforms. Finally, he stops as he sees a picture of him and Sakura posing during their ride on the train to Tokyo. He chuckles.

"Guess you were right, Goldie," Mickey says, "I gotta fight to keep makin' the world a better place." He sets his phone in his pocket before dematerializing into wisps of sonic energy.

"Every day. No matter what."

The wisps soar high, far above the rooftops, and into the stars, sailing away for whatever might be in Mickey Villanueva's future.

 _ **The End**_

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:** Finally! _The conclusion to _First Impressions_. This is actually my first completed short story as a new fanfic writer. I hope that you enjoyed this. I truly want to make Mickey feel like part of both the Marvel and Street Fighter world. I also want to deepen the brother-sister-like relationship he has w/ Sakura. Seeing them be happy together fills my heart with joy.

Thank you for taking the time out of your life to read my story. Thank you for being you. And Sakura's right. People care about you, you know. :) Stay Golden, Be Excellent, and of course...

Later days, my lovely readers. - Thicket


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